> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://platform9.com/kb/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://platform9.com/kb/pmo/how-to/replace-a-designate-node.md).

# Replace a Designate Node

## Problem

* One or more hosts authorized with the Designate role need to be decommissioned, shutdown, or otherwise replaced.
* If this has already occurred, one or more zones and their respective recordsets may be showing in either **PENDING** or **ERROR** state, depending on how long it's been.

## Environment

* Platform9 Managed OpenStack - All Versions
* Designate

## Procedure

1. Identify the IP address of your BIND server, and also of the Designate host(s) which are to remain or otherwise replace the old hosts.
2. Create a file *update-masters.awk* on the BIND server and populate it with the following content, modifying the bolded variables as per the legend below.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
BEGIN {
SERVER_IP = "<BIND_IP>"
KEY = ""
MASTERS = "<DESIGNATE_NODE_1_IP> port 5354; <DESIGNATE_NODE_2_IP> port 5354;"
RNDC_ADD_CMD = "rndc -s %s addzone %s '%s'<br>"
RNDC_DEL_CMD = "rndc -s %s delzone %s<br>"
}

/^zone/ {
# Remove quotes from zone name
gsub("\"", "", $2)
zone_name = $2


# Iterate over remaining fields. Concatenate into 'zone_data'.
zone_data = ""
for(i=3; i<=NF; i++){
zone_data=zone_data" "$i
}
sub("^ ", "", zone_data)

# Find configured DNS servers
match(zone_data, /( ?([0-9]+.){4}( port [0-9]+);){1,}/, master_servers)
sub("^ ", "", master_servers[0])

# If configured masters do not match desired masters
if (master_servers[0] != MASTERS){
sub(master_servers[0], MASTERS, zone_data)

# Print command to delete zones
printf RNDC_DEL_CMD, SERVER_IP, zone_name

# Print command to add zones
printf RNDC_ADD_CMD, SERVER_IP, zone_name, zone_data
}
}

END {}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

* **SERVER\_IP** = IP on which the BIND server is listening.
* **MASTERS** = IP(s) of the aforementioned Designate host(s) which will remain to be online and become the active masters.

3. Execute the *awk* script and pipe the stdout to *update\_zones.sh*.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
# awk -f update-masters.awk /var/cache/bind/*.nzf ] update_zones.sh
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

4. Set the proper permissions and execute the resulting *update\_zones.sh* script.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="None" %}

```none
# chmod +x && ./update_zones.sh
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Additional Info**

**Note**: Afterward, it may take approximately 5-10 minutes for the DNS zones to update and reflect an **ACTIVE** status once again. If this does not occur, attempt to create a new DNS record or otherwise create an instance on a provider network or tenant network with a floating IP, either of which would automatically provision a DNS record (based on your Designate configuration). Once a new record is added, the zone and respective recordsets should show **ACTIVE**.
{% endhint %}


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